Alliance of Black Orchestral Percussionists - ABOP

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ABOP aims to increase the diversity of percussionists in symphony orchestras.

10/08/2026

“I am excited to announce that I will be joining the New World Symphony as a percussion fellow in January 2027. This opportunity means the world to me, as it is the culmination of years of dedication and hard work. I can’t wait to see what this chapter has in store for me.”—Sean Edwards, ABOP Protégé

ABOP joins Sean in celebrating his appointment to the New World Symphony. Having joined us as a protégé in August, Sean brings substantial experience from performances with the Chicago and Kansas City Symphonies and from serving as Acting Assistant Principal Percussionist with the Grant Park Music Festival Orchestra.

A graduate of the Juilliard School under Greg Zuber, Sean also trained with Patricia Dash, Douglas Waddell, Joshua Jones, and Jake Nissly at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

ABOP remains proud of Sean and will keep supporting his pursuit of this passion. Congratulations, Sean!

09/30/2026

In this episode, we bring together the voices of our ABOP protégés from across the country—students, graduates, and emerging professionals—to share their experiences in pursuing a career as a Black orchestral percussionist.
Our protégés speak candidly about the highs and lows of this path. You’ll hear Jakalin Bryant discuss the steep costs and joyful rewards of mastering multiple percussion instruments; Torrance Buntyn Jr. reflect on the thrill of performing timeless works and the hurdles of competitive auditions; and London Johnson unpack the realities of representation and the drive to prove one’s place on and off stage.
Donielle Woodard, Alexa Clawson, and Ashlee Dudley invite us into their worlds, balancing practice schedules, networking, burnout, and the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated field; while Milik Green and Sean Edwards remind us of the importance of resilience, self-worth, and finding joy in sharing music with others. Together, they create a vibrant portrait of the modern Black percussionist’s experience. https://abop.us/abop-podcasts/

08/29/2026

New ABOP Podcast: To the New Generations of Musicians

This episode features a variety of artists in the music industry, offering their thoughts, advice, or stories to the new generations of musicians. The artists include Joe W. Moore III, Craig Paré, Quintin Mallette, Paul Tracey, Don Johns, Pedro Fernandez, Camille Delaney-McNeil, Delton Davis, Mark Converse, Ricky Micou, and Christopher Thompson.

Visit our Podcast Page (https://abop.us/abop-podcasts/) for information and listening links for all ABOP podcasts.

08/12/2026

Alliance of Black Orchestral Percussionists is thrilled to welcome Marcia McCants to our advisory board! Marcia brings a wealth of experience, having earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Industry from James Madison University, a Master’s of Music Performance in Percussion from George Mason University, and a Master’s of Arts in Applied Psychology of Music from the University of Leeds.

Marcia has shared the stage with the Colour of Music Orchestra, the M’Boom tribute ensemble, the Fairfax Wind Symphony, the Brass Band of Northern Virginia, and the National Concert Band of America. Additionally, Marcia is a member of the Scholarly Research Committee of the Percussive Arts Society.

Marcia, we’re so glad you’re part of the ABOP family—welcome!

www.abop.us

08/01/2026

Raynor Carroll and Damion Frigillana dive into the world of timpani maintenance, sharing insights and tips for both students and seasoned pros. We’ll explore everything from tuning gadgets and mallets to mutes, stools, keys, and even drum manufacturers and sizes. We’ll also touch on bowls, heads, pedals, gauges, counter-hoops, tension rods, struts, spiders, casters, protection, transport, and those pesky buzzes, rattles, and other annoying sounds.

Don’t forget to swing by the website (www.abop.us) and check out the Program Notes for this episode for even more helpful info (www. abop.us/abop-podcasts/).

07/24/2026

On July 18, ABOP protégés, Milik Green and Torrance Buntyn Jr. competed in the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM) New Century Competition for Percussion, with Milik winning First Prize ($7,000) and Torrance winning Third Prize ($1,000). Second Prize ($3,500) went to Najee Marcelin, a percussion performance major at CUNY Queens College.

Thank you to NANM and the National Scholarship Chair, Dr. Walter McLean, for their support of young musicians. ABOP congratulates Milik, Torrance, and Najee on their outstanding performances and representation of professionalism, dedication, and commitment to excellence—bravo!

07/01/2026

After completing the annual ABOP-in-LA intensive, ABOP’s protégés review the activities that took place during the intensive on the latest ABOP Podcast.
Activities for the week included workshops on Score Study, Changing and Clearing a Timpani Head, Mallet Selection, and a unique session devoted to Conductors. Master classes included Bach on Marimba led by Wesley Sumpter, and The Tambourine led by Torrell Moss. In addition, all of the protégés participated in a mock audition, rehearsals, and a final performance with the joint forces of the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles and the Loyola Law School Orchestra. Maestros Charles Dickerson and Simona Grossi led the tutti ensemble with works by Nokuri, Dvorák, Beethoven, Respighi, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Kodály, Britten, Schuman, Elgar, and Tchaikovsky.
https://abop.us/abop-podcasts/

06/15/2026

Alliance of Black Orchestral Percussionists (ABOP) held its first Board retreat on June 14, 2026. Among the many items discussed were the origins of ABOP, the Mentorship Program, and the future—how to best reach and support protégés. Special thanks to our facilitator, Tara Aesquivel!
Attendees included (pictured from left to right): Tara Aesquivel, Arts Consultant and Facilitator; Paul Hogle, ABOP Director, President, Cleveland Institute of Music; Justin Cole, ABOP Production Assistant; Raynor Carroll, ABOP Co-Founder & CEO, Principal Percussion, LA Phil (retired); Adrienne Lee, ABOP Senior Advisor; Joseph Mitchell III, ABOP Advisor; Alexa Clawson, ABOP Protégé; Wesley Sumpter, ABOP Advisor, Mentor, Assistant Principal Percussion, LA Phil; Stephen Smith, ABOP Director, VP, Investor Relations, Valeas Capital Partners; London Johnson, ABOP Protégé; Alan Fletcher, ABOP Director, President, Aspen Music Festival and School (not pictured) www.abop.us

05/31/2026

Resonant Voices: Showcasing diversity among Black musicians

In celebration of Black Music Month, four Black musicians share their unique musical journeys and offer insights into key inspirational experiences that were impactful in their careers and lives. Guests include Paul Philbert, Principal Timpani, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Ottawa, Canada; Robin Ross, freelance violist, composer, and arranger; Todd Cochran, pianist, composer, electronic musician, and conceptual artist; Charles Dickerson, music director, conductor, composer, and arranger.
https://abop.us/abop-podcasts/

05/22/2026

ABOP’s yearly intensive program for our protégés is coming up from June 23-27! The focus will be on standard orchestral repertoire for percussion, which will be showcased throughout the week through master classes, workshops, a mock audition, rehearsals, and a performance. The last two events of the week are open to everyone and free:

Conductors Workshop, June 26, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Altadena, CA
This workshop, led by Raynor Carroll, retired Principal Percussionist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, will prioritize practical information for conductors. It will provide valuable insights into mallets, sound production, ensemble dynamics, principal duties, optimal set-up, and more.
Tickets and registration: FREE at Eventbrite.

JOINT CONCERT, June 27, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Inglewood, CA
ABOP protégés will team up with members of the Inner City Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (ICYOLA) and the Loyola Law School Orchestra (LLSO) in presenting a free performance showcasing repertoire studied throughout the week. Music Directors Charles Dickerson (ICYOLA) and Simona Grossi (LLSO) will guide the tutti ensemble in more than a dozen works featuring percussion.
Tickets and registration: FREE at Eventbrite.

For more detailed information on the FREE events and the entire week, visit ABOP-in-LA webpage: https://abop.us/abop-in-la/

Address

PO Box 93034
Pasadena, CA
91109

Telephone

+18332562267

Website

http://abop.us/

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